Sherrington: Everyone wants to know if Rangers are trade-deadline buyers or sellers, but it's complicated...

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Michael Ainsworth/Staff Photographer

The Rangers' recent trade for Yovani Gallardo should come as no surprise. In nine seasons as the Texas Rangers general manager, Jon Daniels has pulled off over 80 trades. Here's a look back at the 10 biggest ones.

Passing judgment on the Texas Rangers these days is a little like pulling up the Titanic’s survivors and grilling them on the ship’s shuffleboard standings.

A little respect, please, for the victims of an unmitigated disaster.

Thank you.

But as bad as it’s been — an MLB-high 38 players used this season, and counting — other factors have contributed to the fact that the Rangers find themselves in no-man’s land as time approaches to declare buyer or seller.

Hint: They won’t be buying, which is why Kendrys Morales now plays in Minnesota instead of first base for Texas.

And those questions may remain going into next season, even after other scars have healed.

Is Elvis Andrus the cornerstone Jon Daniels figured when he gave him an 8-year, $120 million contract through 2020?

Will neck surgery return Prince Fielder to the status befitting the $144 million left on his deal?

Which kid will play second base for the Rangers next season?

Can management afford to be so conservative in its approach to roster-building again?

First, let’s consider a troubling trend on Elvis: Twice a starter on a World Series team and a two-time All-Star at 23, his offensive numbers have been in decline ever since. He’s on course this season for a career-low on-base percentage.

Could have something to do with the difference in the lineup around him.

“Elvis was 19 years old when he got to the big leagues,” Daniels said. “He was surrounded by a lot of talent at that point.

“It took some of the pressure off.”

Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Mike Napoli, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz are gone now. Elvis is expected to be one of the leaders, and he’s not in their league offensively. The Rangers aren’t asking him to hit home runs. They’d like to see him drive the ball in the gaps, post an OBP of .340 or better, steal a few bases and play his usual spectacular defense.

Basically, it’s not too much to ask that he live up to his contract.

Because let’s face it: If he’s only going to hit .260 with an OBP of .310, the Rangers will be stuck with that contract for a long time.

The same goes for Fielder’s deal, if neck surgery doesn’t correct his slump.

Even at the club’s richest position, second base, there’s a question:

Jurickson Profar or Roogie Odor?

Daniels traded Kinsler, in part, to give Profar a place to play on a permanent basis before a recurring shoulder injury cost him this season.

Once considered the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, Profar isn’t even guaranteed a starting job next spring.

“He really wasn’t entrenched at the position,” Daniels said. “We’ll see how it plays out.”

They might as well make it a club motto.

Everyone wants to know if they’re going to buy or sell, but it’s complicated. For one thing, only four teams in the league have at least two more wins than the Rangers.

And then there’s this: Whom do they give up this year without wrecking next year?

As tempting as Joey Gallo might seem, he’s not ready to replace Adrian Beltre at third this year or next year. The Rangers have no other options. And don’t say Profar. His numbers project for a middle-infielder; not so much for a third baseman.

Alex Rios? They almost surely must exercise the option on his contract. Besides the fact that he’s been their best offensive player, who takes his place in right? Michael Choice? Love his potential, but he should be playing Triple-A now.

As for his own performance this season, Daniels has some soul-searching to do.

No matter what the complications, the fact is he didn’t bring back Cruz, who’s having an all-world year. After several trades that helped the Rangers to back-to-back World Series appearances and four straight 90-win seasons, easily the best stretch in club history, he also got gun-shy. He’d lopped off the organization’s top layer of ready-made talent. Some of those deals, notably the Matt Garza trade with Chicago, netted him little in return. So he dealt Ron Washington a short hand going in.

“I think we came into the season knowing that starting pitching depth was a risk,” Daniels said.

So why didn’t he sign, say, Ervin Santana, who’s having a nice season in Atlanta?

Didn’t want to give up the first-round pick. Might not seem like much consolation, especially considering the only Rangers first-rounder on the active roster is Colby Lewis. And this year’s top pick, Luis Ortiz, won’t be ready for a while, if ever.

“We can miss on these picks,” Daniels conceded, “or they can be Ortiz or Luke Jackson or Joey Gallo.”

In other words, you never know what can happen. Sort of like this season. Who guessed natural disaster?

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About Kevin Sherrington

Kevin Sherrington, a general sports columnist, was born in Dallas and grew up in Houston. He has worked at five newspapers in Texas. He has worked at The Dallas Morning News since 1985. He had no idea his career would come to blogging.